Vanguard: Over Green Fields and Drones
by USSExplorer
Summary: The USS Vanguard, along with a large Federation/Klingon fleet, is heading to Romulus to engage an enemy that all three powers fear: The Borg. Will become a crossover, I think, but not sure into what universe, so open to ideas.
1. Prologue: On the Cliff's Edge

Prologue: On the Cliff's Edge

Captain's log, Stardate 56453:

_It seems that the long range sensors were right; Federation, Romulan and Klingon deep space scanners have detected an incoming warp trail of multiple vessels_

_Starfleet is unsure of the number of vessels, but given that they're coming from the Delta Quadrant, and the location of the Borg spatial nexus destroyed by the _USS Voyager_, then Starfleet is taking no chances._

_The _Vanguard_, along with the full 8th fleet, and elements of the 9th, are currently moving towards the expected destination of this Borg fleet, as is a similar number of Klingon vessels. However there's a problem; that being the likely destination of the Borg fleet:_

_Romulus!_

_Right now Admiral Sarok, aboard the fleet flagship, _USS Ranger_, is currently trying to gain permission for the combined fleet to enter Romulan space, but several of their admirals (and, I'm afraid to say, more than a few of our own Captain's) are being almost Tellarite in their stubbornness!_

_This would be funny except for the seriousness of the situation, and the fact that even at maximum sustainable warp, the combined fleet would only arrive an hour before the Borg, and that's only if we leave right now._

Supplemental:

_This is going to be close…_

_The fleet has crossed the Neutral Zone but at current speeds, we'll be about two or three hours behind the Borg forces._

_The Admiral has ordered the fleet to increase speed, but we're slowly losing ships out of formation._

_Estimates suggest that only two hundred Federation ships, out of a force of six hundred will make to Romulus in time to setup a defence grid._

_The Klingons are even worse, only a hundred of their five hundred will make it in time._

_Thankfully we're picking up Romulan forces as we go. A total of fifty Warbirds and heavy cruisers have joined our fleet, with another two hundred expected to meet us in system._

_We are rapidly having to work out attack plans, though thankfully with the experience of the Dominion war, we've got a base to work from._

_I'm sure I'm not the only officer thinking back to the last time this large a fleet was assembled._

_What worries me most is that of the two hundred Starfleet ships that will make it in time, only fifty, including the _Vanguard_, have had the new armour, shields and weapons that the Voyager brought back added to them, and somehow I know that means that a: we'll be leading the charge and b: the Borg will try their best to destroy us first…_

_How I wish that the Big-E was here, but she's busy on the other side of the Federation dealing with the Cardassians._

* * *

><p>Captain Willard closed the log and walked out onto the bridge of the USS Vanguard, a newly modified Akira-class heavy cruiser. He settled into his command chair and turned to his XO, commander Shar, "Status?"<p>

The Andorian twitched his antennas as way of a greeting before answering, "All stations report ready. Weapons, shields and armour are all showing green and engineering is prepping the last few emergency shield units around critical areas."

Willard nodded, praying that those shields wouldn't be needed, and if they were, that they'd hold long enough to allow his crew to fight of a Borg boarding party.

"I've assigned all my security personnel to those areas, and also I've taken the liberty of issuing all of them with both hand-to-hand weapons, and projectile guns."

Willard turned and looked at his tactical, and second, officer and tried not to scowl. "You've issued guns to the crew? What happens if they damage a critical system in the middle of battle?"

Lieutenant Commander MacLeod stared back with a grim smile, "The guns lack the power to penetrate the bulkheads but should be able to destroy the servos of a Borg drone, if they penetrate their personal shields." He scowled at that idea.

Willard tried not to flinch at the idea of ricochets maiming or killing his crew while they were fighting for their lives, but he had to admit that the idea or projectile weapons was worth the risk, especially after the reports from the Enterprise-E's last encounter with the Borg. "Well let's hope it doesn't come to that." He said wishfully.

"Hoping gets you killed sir." Muttered MacLeod, just loud enough for Willard to hear, cringe and exchange a look with Shar.

Before Willard could reply, MacLeod spoke up again, "Incoming hail from a Romulan cruiser, the _Red Mist_."

"Onscreen." Willard was confused until he saw the face that appeared on his view-screen. "Commander Mirok, well this is a surprise."

Mirok nodded and smiled warmly, "It's Captain now, and yes it is a pleasant one." He turned and indicated for someone off-screen to step forward, "I believe that your security chief knows my Sub-Commander." Willard turned and was surprised, if not down-right shocked, to see his tactical officer actually smile, and judging by the movement of Shar's antennae, he was just as stunned.

"Hello again Erik," The Sub-Commander was smiling just as freely. "I'm glad to see you survived the war intact."

"Sahe'lagge, it's good to see you again." The Sub-Commander blushed, and Willard made a mental note to ask his security chief what that word means after the battle. "It's been a few years. I tried to get a message to you, but I never got any reply."

"I was… occupied." Mirok coughed gently. "I would like to catch up after the battle; we have much to talk about."

MacLeod raised his eyebrow in a Vulcan fashion, then nodded. "Sure Isha, you still owe me that tour of your family's villa remember?"

Isha smiled, but everyone on the bridge of the _Vanguard_ caught the worry in her eyes. "I remember, and I keep my promises. Glohhaasi' mnekha Commander." Without waiting for a reply Isha walked off-screen. Mirok watched her leave before turning back to Willard.

"With the re-acquaintances out of the way, down to business." He nodded at an officer off-screen. "My ship, and another 5 D'Thrai class heavy cruisers have been assigned to work with your squadron. I've transmitted the transponder codes for those ships and they are now moving into position around your ships."

"So we need to go over attack patterns and plans for our combined unit."

"Yes, I hope your crews will be able to keep up with us." Mirok's smile was predatory, but his eyes betrayed the friendly challenge that he was laying down.

"I'm sure we'll score more hits that you do." Replied Willard, as Shar grunted in support. "Same stakes?"

Mirok laughed, much to the shock of both bridge crews. "But of course, 1 case of Romulan Ale verses 1 case of Tennessee Bourbon. We'll drink on the steps of the senate building when the battle is over. See you on the other side Captain."

"Jolan tru Mirok." The signal cut and returned to the familiar image of stars flying past.

Willard looked around the bridge and stood up. "Ok, we'll reach Romulus in four hours so all alpha and beta shift personnel are to take a three hour break. Gamma shift is to cover for now, then report to their emergency stations when relieved."

Willard watched as the orders were followed, before turning and walking to his ready room to write a letter to his wife and daughters back on Alpha Centauri.


	2. 1: Into the Jaws of Hell

1: Into the Jaws of Hell

Willard looked around the bridge. The crew was nervous, and rightly so. The Borg had increased their speed, so the fleet had had to do the same, and while they were only minutes from reaching the edge of the system, the increase in speed had cost them a further one hundred ships from the combined fleet.

"We'll be in system in the next two minutes."

"Deploy the armour and arm trans-spatial and quantum torpedoes. Relay those instructions to the other ships in the task force." The distinctive sound of the armour clunking into place over the hull could be heard, though it still gave Willard the creeps, like someone was trying to board his ship.

Even though the Borg may well have assimilated the armour, Starfleet's corps of engineers felt they had adapted it to increase any ship's survival chances by fifty to eighty percent when taking on the Borg. Against the other forces that Starfleet could engage, then the survival percentage was well over one hundred for even the smallest of ships.

The other adaptions gained from _Voyager's_ run-in with the future Janeway had also been applied to the_ Vanguard_ and other ships in the fleet.

Yes, the upgrades would mean that the _Vanguard_ would be living up to her name, and be part of the first task force to engage the Borg, but Willard would have rather have the upgrades than not.

"Thirty seconds."

"Order the task force to begin their plan." Klingon and Romulan cruisers cloaked and slipped behind the twelve Akira and Steamrunner class ships with the deployed armour. "Concentrate on the closest ship, focus on the areas that Starfleet command told us too." Thank god for Picard and _Voyager's_ ex-drone. They'd both sent as much data as they could, especially about where to target on each type on ship, though finding the right spot on a perfect shape was going to be a challenge.

"Exiting warp." The lead elements dropped out a warp and immediately had to go evasive. Wrecks of the system defence force were directly in-front of the ships.

A loud, painful scarping sound could be heard as the ship literally smashed through the remains of an older style Warbird. Suddenly the ship shook twice in quick succession.

"One of the Klingons collided with some debris." Stated MacLeod as he gripped his console to help him keep his balance. "They spun into the _Repulse's_ port nacelle. Even with the armour, they've suffered serious damage and have had to drop back."

Willard cursed, not even in actual combat and down two ships, definitely not a good sign.

"We have eleven Borg vessels engaged with around thirty Romulan ships. Three are coming this way"

"On-screen." Everyone watched as the giant cubes turned and slowly moved towards the small group of ships.

"Enemy fleet consists of five cubes, three spheres, a diamond and two tactical cubes. Both tactical cubes and a regular cube are moving to engage us."

"Load quantum torpedoes. Order all other ships to do the same. All ships are to target the left most cube but they are only to fire on _Vanguard's_ order."

"Task force acknowledges."

"Entering optimal range in ten seconds." Willard, waited as the seconds slowly eked away, swearing those were the longest ten seconds of his life.

"Borg are firing." The ship shuddered as a beam from the standard cube collided with the armour. "Armour holding at 95 percent."

"Looks like the corps did their job." Stated Shar.

Willard nodded and looked down at the small display beside his chair. Other elements of the combined fleet were emerging from warp to engage the Borg from various vectors. Again, these elements were spearheaded by as many armoured Starfleet vessels as possible with Klingon and Romulan forces sweeping around the Federation vessels to allow them to use up their massive first strike capabilities.

"Let's not give them a chance to adapt. Target set co-ordinates and order all ships to fire." From above and behind the bridge, the _Vanguard's_ primary torpedo tubes unleashed a full volley of thirty photon torpedoes followed immediately by ten quantum torpedoes. The other Starfleet ships followed suit as the clocked elements of the task force de-clocked and unleashed an incredible volley of plasma torpedoes. All ships then fired at the same co-ordinates with full phasers or disrupters.

The standard cube shook and massive explosions could be seen clearly by the bridge crew.

"Cube has suffered massive damage at targeted co-ordinates. It's power levels have fallen by fifty percent. It's trying to turn and withdraw."

"Don't let them, concentrate fire on that cube, target secondary locations that we were given. Order all ships to concentrate on that cube."

The ship shook as both tactical cubes fired enhanced cutting beams at the _Vanguard_.

"Armour is down to seventy percent. Those cubes are using sheer power to counter our armour adaptions."

"Well let's not let them get too long to do that. Commander, order the armoured elements to go evasive. All birds are to go full evasive." The ship shook as another beam glanced against the armour."

"Cube power down sixty percent. I'm reading massive internal explosions."

"Commander, if you please…" MacLeod smiled viciously as the helm turned the _Vanguard_ directly towards the damaged cube and he released a full salvo of quantum torpedoes right into the damaged section of the cube. Two Warbirds leant their firepower and massive alpha strike to the attack.

The cube shuddered as its core control was shredded by the firepower, but it it's dying breath it managed to destroy two Birds-of-Prey before pulling a D'Thrai and a Steamrunner close enough that they were eviscerated in the cube's explosion.

In retaliation the two tactical cubes shattered seven more ships from the small taskforce.

"Dammit, were's the rest of the fleet?" muttered the young Asian Ensign at helm.

As if answering the helmswoman's plea, the rest of the fleet, some two hundred ships, and all of the heavy guns, descended from warp and launched their own first strike package.

The Borg ships shuddered as lurched backwards as they struggled to handle the combined firepower of the fleet.

"Orders from the _Ranger_, our force is to pull back and regroup asap." Stated Lieutenant Mek, the Tellarite manning the Ops console.

"Acknowledge the order and transmit to remaining ships. Then get me a brief damage report."

"Nothing major, we're down too…" Mek stopped as something on the sensors caught his attention, "Sir, I'm detecting a massive disturbance in subspace!"

"What kind?" asked Shar, having a sick feeling that he already knew.

"I'm not sure, but it has similarities to Borg trans-warp."

"Get me the _Ranger!_" Willard almost screeched the order through clenched teeth.

"Too late."

The crew watched in horror as a new, larger, Borg fleet exited trans-warp.

"How many?"

"About thirty cubes, of which ten are tactical."

Willard stood and walked towards the view-screen. Ships exploded left and right as the massive Borg armada began their true assault. "This isn't an attack, it's an invasion."


	3. 2: The Maw of Hell

2: The Maw of Hell

The _Vanguard_ shook again as another Borg cutting beam attempted to penetrate the armour.

"Armour down to twenty percent, plus we've only got fifty photons and ten quantums left."

Willard nodded grimly, unwilling to turn to look at MacLeod as that meant looking at the dead bodies of Shar and a young Lieutenant from one of the Science consoles. The casualty reports were mounting rapidly but at least they were still alive.

The rest of the fleet….

Another three ships exploded as they rammed a tactical cube. It was getting desperate as the Borg armada slowly advanced towards Remus. They had tried for Romulus but the defence grid had inflicted enough damage to make the Borg wary of getting trapped between the grid and the combined fleet.

But the fleet was struggling. Of the initial two hundred and fifty vessels, over one hundred were gone, with about that many, including the _Vanguard_, suffering moderate to heavy damage. The Borg still had twenty cubes, nine of the tactical variety.

The ship shook again as a nearby cube continued to pursue them.

"Where are our escorts?" Willard demanded.

"Only three are left, two Romulan and one Klingon."

Willard cursed again, the Borg were systematically targeting the armoured ships and they were doing a dammed fine job of it. As far as Willard could tell, only four such ships remained, and the _Vanguard_ seemed to be in the best shape.

"Ask the admiral again…"

Mek nodded as he tried to contact the fleet command ship. "Sir, the _Ranger's_ gone, as are the _Intrepid_ and the _Monitor._"

Willard swivelled to look at Mek. All three Starfleet admirals are gone. "Who's in charge?"

Mek shrugged. "The Romulan command ships are gone aswell, and the _Sword of Kahless_ just rammed a tactical cube."

Even the allied admirals were gone. Without a flagship the fleet would struggle to survive for much longer, though even with an Admiral, Willard suspected they had less than an hour to live.

"Send to all ships, I'm authorizing the use of trans–spatial torpedoes. If any ship has them, and they're far enough away from either planet, use them and I'll deal with Command if we survive."

Mek nodded as he transmitted the message to the other Starfleet vessels. "Sir, our escorts are asking about the new torpedoes."

"On-screen." The images of Mirok and a Klingon captain appeared. "Captains, how goes your day?" Mirok raised his eyebrow in an almost Vulcan way and stared back. The fire being dealt with behind him told the story well enough. The Klingon captain merely grunted.

"We're going to use experimental weapons on the Borg, I'll need you to launch a strafing run to allow us time to get close enough to launch."

The two captains merely nodded and closed their respective links.

"Helm, target the closest tactical cube. Tactical, once we have a clear shot and our escorts are out of the kill zone you're free to launch." Both officers nodded as the starship turned towards its pursuer.

The allied ships strafed between the two vessels, but the Borg treated them as files, literally swatting aside a Romulan cruiser, which managed to collide with the cube, shattering the outer skin.

"Target where they crashed. Fire!" Everyone on the bridge watched in morbid fascination as the two advanced torpedoes flew towards the cube.

They could scarcely believe their eyes as the torpedoes actually entered the cube and half a second later two massive explosions occurred inside the cube, forcing it to shudder to a halt.

"Power levels down over sixty percent."

"Again." Two more torpedoes shot towards the Borg cube, which try as it might, couldn't hit the approaching death shots.

As the second pair of explosions took place inside, the cube suddenly accelerated towards the _Vanguard_.

"Evasive!" Ordered MacLeod, recognizing what was planned before Willard.

The ship spun and stared to pull away as the gigantic cube bore down on it. The cube exploded, showering the _Vanguard_ in huge pieces of debris and stray plasma.

Willard barely managed to hold onto his seat, and could only watch in horror was Mek went flying past him before landing with a sickening thud near the helm.

"Cube is destroyed." Stated MacLeod, as he routed the Ops systems to his console. "Sir, I'm reading a warp core breach on the last Romulan ship."

"Beam as many of their crew on-board as we can, but get us away from them."

Willard stood and walked towards Mek, to confirm if he was dead or if there was still a chance to save him. A quick check for a pulse told him all he needed to, but he pulled the body away from the Helm.

"How are you holding up May?" he asked the young Ensign Ku. She'd only joined the crew at the refit, and was less than six months out of the academy. He suspected that something was going on between her and MacLeod, but they were both officers, and he hoped that if they survived this they'd get the chance to talk and see.

Ku looked up at her captain, "Fine sir, all things considered." She smiled weakly, to try and reassure him, but her eyes told him the truth.

Willard turned as the turbolift opened and Mirok's Sub-Commander, Isha, walked onto the bridge. "Mirok?"

Isha shook her head as she turned and walked towards MacLeod, and whispered something to him, before turning to face Willard.

"He died during the last attack, thank you for trying to save us but I fear it may not mean much in the grand scheme of things."

Willard gave her a sad smile as he eased back into his chair. "How are we doing Erik?"

"We're down to fifteen percent on the armour, though it's slowly recovering. Shields are ready, but they won't last long in this hell-storm. Phaser banks are at twenty percent though we still have sixteen more trans-spatial torpedoes."

"Small favours." Muttered Willard. "Where are the Borg?"

"Five cubes, three tactical inbound, eta is less than a minute."

"Reinforcements?

"None in range."

Willard stood and walked back to the helm, resting his hand on the back of the chair, "Very well. Bring us about, straight down their tail-pipes Ensign. If we're going to die, I for one intend to take as many of those son-o-a-bitches with me as I can."

"Yes sir." Came the enthusiastic reply. "Course laid in, by your command."

"Let's storm the gates of Hell." He turned and looked back, "Commanders, I want you to make every shot count. Burn those bastards out of my sky."

Both Commanders, replied with animalistic smiles. "By your command." Stated Isha.

"As the Klingons say, 'Today is a good day to die'." MacLeod said, as he placed his hand on Isha's.

Willard smiled too, the strange mood that was settling over the bridge made him prouder than he'd ever been of his ship and crew. "I much prefer 'Cry Havoc, and let's slip the dogs of war.'"

He looked around the bridge, and the few faces left and nodded solemnly to each in turn. "Very well, we have an appointment to keep, let's not let them wait for us."

In an act of pure defiance, the wounded _Vanguard_ turned and moved towards the massive incoming Borg ships.

"Divert all power to forward shields and armour, heck divert power from life support, somehow I don't think we'll be needing where we're going…." He left the statement hang in the air, and air soaked in the smell of death and destruction.

"How nice," started Isha, somehow very familiar with Starfleet consoles, "The Borg are lining up for us."

"Well let's not disappoint our hosts. Erik, let them know we're here." All remaining quantum torpedoes shot forward at the central cube as the phaser banks concentrated on the same spot.

As the tubes were loaded with the trans-spatial torpedoes an Ensign at the remaining science console shouted out, "I've got a subspace disturbance appearing. It's incredible."

"We'll look at it later." Answered Willard angrily. "Fire trans-spatials."

"Wait!" screamed the Ensign.

A full volley of ten trans-spatial torpedoes erupted from the _Vanguard_, targeting the three central cubes. The eight fired at the two cubes off-centre travelled on and smashed into their target, shattering the cubes and managing to take out the remaining three cubes with the secondary explosions.

However, the _Vanguard_ never saw this as the two torpedoes aimed at the central cube collided with the subspace disturbance, and detonated inside. Before anyone on-board could react, a massive energy release from subspace enveloped the starship.

When the energy dissipated, and the residual interference from the simultaneous destruction of five cubes died down, all that was detected by the allied fleet was that the _Vanguard_ had been destroyed in a last, valiant act of defiance.

* * *

><p>Ok, that's the intro done, but if anyone has any ideas about where and when the Vanguard ends up, feel free to message me, or leave a review :)<p> 


End file.
